Slot Receivers in the NFL

slot

The slot is a rectangular area in hockey that extends toward the blue line. In field and ice hockey, it is the fourth position on the ice. The word slot is related to the German word Schloss and is cognate with the Latin verb sleutana. Slot also refers to the fourth flying display position in flying displays.

Slot receivers line up inside of a boundary cornerback

The Slot receiver is one of the more versatile receivers in the NFL. In addition to receiving the ball after the snap, he is also used as a run blocker. Often, the quarterback will hand the ball to a Slot receiver in the backfield, allowing him to outrun the defenders. The Slot receiver also has the ability to pick up blitzes from secondary players. He is a particularly valuable position on outside runs.

The Slot receiver typically lines up inside of a boundary cornerback, and he typically lines up behind the line of scrimmage. He usually runs shorter routes, and he must beat defenders both vertically and horizontally. While the slot receiver isn’t as athletic as the outside receiver, his versatility is very beneficial to an offensive team. Because of his versatility, he can score touchdowns without being restricted to one type of route.